Water-cooled spark plate and rail for pig casting machines



Nov. 27,1945. H. o. JOHNSON EI'AL 2,389,983

WATER COOLED SPARK PLATE AND RAIL FOR PIG CASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 25, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO A25 H RRY 0 (/OHNSO/V 6/70M4R77/V OHARE,

Nov. 27, 1.945. H. o. JOHNSON ETAL 2,339,933

WATER COOLED SPARK PLATE AND RAIL FOR PIG OAS TING MACHINES Filed Jan. 23, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVE NTO R 5 HA RRYO. dol A/soxv and/144R TIN GIL/ARE,

zymaoz w I Nov. 27, 1945.

H. o. JOHNSON ET AL 2,389,983

WATER COOLED SPARK PLATE AND RAIL FOR PIG CASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 23, 1945 4 sheets-sheet s INVENTORS HARRYQL/OHNSO/v andMAPf/N OHA/PE, y

Nov. 27, 1945. H. o. JOHNSON mm 3 9 WATER GOOLED SPARK PLATE AND RAIL FOR PIG CASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. '23, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HAP/FY 0. JOHNSON ana MARfl/VOV/A/PE,

Patented Nov. 27, 1945 'WATER-COOLED SPARK PLATE 'AND RAIL FOR PIG CASTING MACHINES Harry 0. Johnson and Martin OHare, Donor-a, Pa., assignors to The American Steel and Wire Company of New.Jersey,a corporation of New Jersey Application January 23, 1943, Serial No. 473,358

2 Claims.

In accordance with the present invention, there are provided certain improvements in contnection'with mechanism for handling cast iron Of the two types of machines, the endless chain carrying a series of parallel molds or troughs with overlapping edges is the one most commonly used.

A machine of this character simply consists of an endless chain to which are attached the casting molds. Attached to the molds are small wheels which ride on rails when the molds are traveling in their right-side up position to receive the molten cast iron. The molds receive their charge of molten metal at one end of the casting machine, and travel forward to the opposite end of the machine. During their travel the metal pigs are water-quenched so that when'the discharge end of the machine is reached; the pigs have solidified and can be dropped directly out of the molds into a waiting gondola car or onto a pile at the end of the machine.

When the molten pig iron is poured into'the molds,'there is always a certain amount of spillage that runs down onto the rails supporting the molds and onto a spark plate underneath the rails, which plate acts as a deflector of such spillage of molten pig iron for preventing the same from striking the empt molds and the chains conveying the molds on their returntrip. The spillage of molten pig iron tends to stick to the rails, and the heat from the molten metal also causes the rails to sag and warp, andas a result frequent derailment of the molds from the track under the pouring spout occurs.

'In accordance'with the present invention, there are provided improvements which prevent the sticking of the spillage of the molten pig iron which inevitably occurs during casting.

Also, in connection with the spark plate customarily employed to protect'the return cars of the molds, it may be noted that this plate is positioned directly underneath the pig molds and pouring spout, and is positioned at about a 45 angle so that the spillage of cast iron is deflected away from the machine to a pit along the side thereof. Customarily, these plates are made "of solid cast iron, and it is found that the plates warp and crack very frequently due to a large accumulation of spillage scrap that, at times, is difficult to dislodge, thereby causing frequent replacement In accordance with the present invention the above-mentioned difficulties are overcome by providing the rails upon which the molds travel along the portion of their course adjacent the pouring station with water-cooling means, and also providing an improved construction of spark plate which enables cooling Water to be circulated through it.

The invention will be understood more readily by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a portion of a pig casting machine embracing the improvements of the present invention, certain partsof the mechanism not relating directly to the present invention, being omitted for clarity;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on theline III--III of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an improved rail embodying the principles of the presentinvention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line VV of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the rail shown in Fig.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic plan view of a spark plate embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of thearrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference letter A represents a fragment of a pig casting machine, which is mounted on the usual type of frame work B, and receives molten metal from a feed trough E. The casting machine A is shown as comprising the endless chain conveyor Ill on which is mounted the parallel molds l2, there being a'pair of such endless chains for each which are spanned by the partial molds, and whichpass over conveyor wheels M in the customary manner, the viewsillustrating the con structionof the machine at its take-up end.

As ha been indicated above herein the irnprovement of the present invention embrace protecting instrumentalities for a pig casting machine employing endless conveyor chains carrying the parallel molds and spanned thereby, as aforesaid, the improved instrumentalities including a protecting rail for protecting the top -course of the conveyor mechanism as the molds move into metal-receiving position, and an improved construction of a spark plate for protecting the conveyor chains and molds against splashing molten metal during the bottom, or return, course of the conveyor mechanism, where the molds have dumped the solidified pigs of metal and are in inverted position. after passing around the end wheels of the conveyor mechanism.

Referring first to the construction of the improved rail, it will be seen that it is a hollow boxlike structure which is made by welding together two L-shaped Sections so as to mak the elongated box-like rail l3 which replaces the customary rail usually employed for constituting the track for the conveyor wheels l6 upon which the endless conveyor chains are mounted, and which support and guide the conveyor chains during travel thereof.

The rail l8 terminates adjacent to the wheels 14 of the conveyor, which wheels guide the conveyor chains at the take-up end of the conveyor mechanism as the chains pass from the bottom course of travel to the top course of travel. While a sprocket might be used for that purpose, as is done many times in conveyor constructions, it is preferred to use the wheel as shown since sag in the conveyor chains is eliminated, as the chain wheels l6 are supported on the periphery of the end wheels until they reach the tops of the rails l8. The improved rails l8 are shown as being cut back sufficiently at the ends thereof in order to clear the wheel I4, and toward the driving end of the conveyor not shown, the improved rails l8 are continued beyond the zone of heat and metal splashing, into customary rails l9. The welded together L-sections which make up the improved rail l8 are indicated at 24 and 2B in Fig. 5.

- It will be seen from the drawings that the improved rails extend from adjacent the take-up end wheel IE to a point well beyond the metal pouring station, it being shown in the drawings that molten metal is discharged from the trough E into a discharge spout 28 through opening 2| which is controlled by a plunger stopper 22 actuated by a lever 23, by means of which lever the stopper 22 is raised and lowered relatively to the opening 2|, molten metal flowing into the spout 20, thence into the molds l2 responsively to the lever 23 being actuated to lift the stopper 22 out of engagement with the opening. The details of this construction form no part of the present invention and need not be elaborated. I

It will be understood that the various parts of the conveyor mechanism, including the improvements of the present invention, are duplicated on both sides of the casting machine and therefore, a description of only one side of the mechanism needs to be given, in view of the said duplication.

It has been pointed out above that the improved rails of the present invention extend from the take-up end wheel M to a point well beyond the pouring station which is delineated by the pouring spout 29. Consequently, a part of the improved rails is subjected to a zone of maximum heat and exposure to splashing of metal, and a part of the rails i subjected to less heat.

In order to take care of these different conditions, the improved rails l8 are divided internally into two sections by means of an internal transverse web 28. The resulting section of the rails which is to be positioned in service beneath the zone of metal pouring, as delineated by the pouring spout as aforesaid, is adapted to be watercooled, an inlet for COOllng water being provided as is indicated at 30, an outlet for the water being provided as is indicated at 32, so that Water may be kept circulating continuously through the rail section. The remainder of the rail which is to be mounted between the end conveyor wheel I 4 and the zone of maximum heat, and which consequently, is subjected to less heat, is of an open construction as is indicated at 34, for air cooling,

it being found in practice that air cooling is sufficient in this portion of the rail.

It has been said above that instrumentalities cooperate with the said rails for protecting the conveyor mechanism against spilled molten metal, which inevitably becomes spilled during pouring of the molten metal into the molds.

Such protecting instrumentalities are provided in an improved construction of a spark plate.

In conventional practice there is mounted, at a suitable location beneath the pouring station, what is referred to as a spark plate, which customarily is a plate or sheet of steel, mounted on the conveyor frame between the upper and lower courses of the conveyor chain, for catching spilled molten metal before it canreach the return course of the conveyor chains, and to deflect such metal away from the chains. Customarily this spark plate is only a single plate of steel or the like of suitable gauge, and as has been mentioned herein, is subject to extensive warping and deformation under the action of the spilled molten metal with consequent requirement of frequent replacement, a task which is not easily performed and results in frequent shut-downs of equipment.

In the drawings it will be seen that the spark plate, which is indicated at 36, is positioned between the upper and lower courses of the conveyor, and is mounted in a region beneath the pouring zone, the spark plate 36 being inclined at an angle of approximately 45 so that whatever spillage of molten metal occurs, such will be deflected away from the inverted pig mold and conveyor chains and directed into a suitable metal catching pit, not shown, running along the sides of the casting machine.

The improved spark plate 36 is actually as assembly of two suitable steel plates, indicated at 38 and 40 which are welded together to form a shallow box-type construction, with welded side members, all joints being water-tight. One of the said plates is slotted to receive and support a series of oppositely extruding baffles 42 and 44 which extend fromopposite sides of the spark plate'box. Suitable wall plates are provided as aforesaid, the entire construction being welded to make it watertight, a water inlet 46 being indicated at the left hand corner of the spark plate assembly and a water outlet being indicated at 48 at the upper right hand of the said assembly, water circulating through the spark plate assembly being forced to pass in a tortuous path between the baffles which extend vertically through the depth of the spark plate assembly. The upper end of the plate is cut at an angle as shown in order to avoid air pockets in the circulating water. The spark plate assembly is mounted su tably on frame standards 59 and 52, which also support the improved rail, a channel 54 being illustrated as forming one of the supports for the said rails, an angle beam 56 forming another sup port for the said rails. These members obviously extend completely across the frame work of the conveyor structure. The improved spark box of the invention effectively protects the return rails 58 of the conveyor structure and the conveyor chains from spillage of molten metal.

The improved construction is duplicated for each of the conveyor chains and molds as the molds are returned to metal-receiving position.

It is found in practice that installations of the present invention effect important operating economies in reduction of the delays incident to replacement of the conventional spark plates, which replacements have been required to be effected about three times a week prior to the installation of the present invention; and also the troublesome warping and sagging of the rails which carry the conveyor chains and molds are eliminated. It being found that very little metal adheres to the cooled rails of the present invention, and to the improved spark plate structure.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for casting metal, which comprises the combination with metal-pouring equipment adapted to pour molten metal at a pouring station into a series of parallel molds, of endless conveyor mechanism on which the molds are mounted, which conveyor mechanism comprises upper and lower conveyor rails for supporting the molds and along which rails the conveyor mechanism travels with the molds in upright position on a metal-receiving course and with the molds in inverted position on a return course, the upper rails comprising hollow elongated box-lik structures on which the conveyor mechanism travels, the said rails being positioned along the course of travel of the conveyor immediately below the pouring station and extending from beyond the pouring station to a point adjacent to an end wheel of the conveyor mechanism, whereby the molds passing around the said wheel are positioned immediately on the said rails with avoidance of sag in the conveyor chains intermediate the wheel and rails, means in the rails dividin the rails interiorly into a water-cooled section and an air-cooled section, th said water-cooled section being positioned immediately adjacent to the pouring station, with the air-cooled section intermediate the pouring station and the said conveyor wheel, means for circulating cooling water through the water-cooled section, the aircooled section being an open structure to enable efficient air cooling to proceed, and additional fluid-cooled protective means for the conveyor mechanism mounted above the return course of the conveyor mechanism for deflecting spilled molten metal from the pouring station away from the conveyor chains and inverted molds oi the return course of the conveyor mechanism.

2. Apparatus for casting metal, which comprises the combination with metal pouring equipment adapted to pour molten metal at a pouring station into a series of parallel molds, of endless conveyor mechanism upon which the said molds are mounted, which conveyor mechanism comprises upper and lower conveyor rails for supporting the molds and along which rails the conveyor mechanism travels with the molds in upright position on a metal-receiving course and with the molds in inverted position on a return course, the said rails being positioned along the course of travel of the conveyor immediately below the pouring station and extending from beyond the pouring station to a point adjacent to an end wheel of the conveyor mechanism, whereby the molds passing around the said wheel are positioned immediately on the said rails with avoidance of sag in the conveyor chains intermediate the wheel and rails, means in the upper rails dividing them interiorly into a water-cooled section and an air-cooled section, said upper rails being hollow, the said watercooled section being positioned immediately adjacent to the pouring station, means for circulating cooling water through the water-cooled section, and additional fluid-cooled protective means for the conveyor mechanism mounted above the return course of the conveyor mechanism for deflecting spilled molten metal from the pourin station away from the conveyor chains and inverted molds of the return course of the conveyor mechanism.

HARRY 0'. JOHNSON. MARTIN OHARE. 

